Record number of Scots businesses target Middle East

Deborah Punshon

A record number of Scottish gas and oil companies have set their sights on the Middle East market by joining a major international conference.

Almost 60 oil and gas companies have joined the Scotland pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) this year, making it the biggest delegation to the event and almost double the number of companies which attended last year.

A number of companies will have their own stand or join partners/agents stands, bringing the total number of Scottish companies attending the event to around 75.

The Middle East is a key market for Scotland’s oil and gas sector with international sales rising to £2 billion in 2013.

The UAE, in particular, saw an increase in activity during the same period to £1.1 billion, particularly in locations such as Dubai which is being used as a base by many companies operating in and around the country.

The visit has been organised by Scottish Enterprise and its international arm, Scottish Development International.

David Rennie, international sector head for oil and gas at Scottish Enterprise said: “Despite the global challenges, there still remain opportunities for Scotland’s oil and gas sector to grow.

“The Middle East is one of them and ADIPEC offers us a great platform to showcase Scotland’s world class skills and expertise. The record attendance on our pavilion this year – 60 per cent of which are visiting Abu Dhabi and ADIPEC for the first time – is a strong reflection of the value and importance our supply chain puts on growing its international activity.”

Themed around innovation and sustainability in a New Energy World, ADIPEC expects to attract a record 85,000 visitors between today and Thursday.